Gordon's Reading List - July 2018

Donald Trump Is Not Playing By Your Rules by David Brookes, New York Times

One of the most impactful articles I have read this year was the unfortunately titled "Donald Trump Is Not Playing By Your Rules" by David Brooks in the New York Times last month. It is much more meaningful than the title suggests and provides a framework for understanding a broad range of issues. Read here

In U.S.' Zeal To Mount Frontal Assault On Iran, India Has Become an Inadvertent Casualty: Ashley Tellis by Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu

The Hindu's Suhasini Haidar, with whom we met in New Delhi last year, shared an important interview with Ashley Tellis from the Carnegie Endowment. The interview highlights the complexity and interconnected nature of foreign policy. Read here

Peter Jennings, the Executive Director of Australian Strategic Policy Institute, went a step beyond expressing what is widely shared angst about hte implication of the Trump Administration's approach to allies and drafted a forward-looking 10-step "Plan B" for Australia. Read here

Without the Russians, Trump Wouldn't Have Won by Max Boot, Washington Post

On US politics, much of the best analysis is being done by traditional conservatives. I particularly enjoy the writing of Max Boot, Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Read here

This Conservative Would Take Obama Back In A Nanosecond by Max Boot, Washington Post

Max Boot served as a Foreign Policy Advisor to John McCain in 2008 and to Mitt Romney in 2012. As someone who disagreed with President Obama's foreign policy strategies, Max pens a hard-hitting piece here.

Analysing the Australia-India Economic Strategy 2035

There has been excellent analysis of the Australia-India Economic Strategy 2035 released a few weeks ago by former High Commissioner and former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Varghese. Of note, two participants of our Indo-Pacific strategy sessions this year have shared their analysis.

Former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran wrote a concise assessment for the Lowy Interpreter.Read here

Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alyssa Ayres shared her views on the Council on Foreign Relations Blog, Asia Unbound. Read here

AUSMIN and Senator Penny Wong's keynote speech

Finally, in light of the constructive statement that just emerged from this week's joint Australia-US Ministerial Consolations (AUSMIN) in Palo Alto, it is worth noting the non-partisan strength of strategic thinking in Australia. Just last week, Senator Penny Wong, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, gave a noteworthy speech on the US in Asia at our sister Centre, The United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Read here